


Assemble!

by wakandan_wardog



Series: Wardog's Tony Stark Bingo 2018 [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Crushes, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Prompt Fill, Voice Acting, Workplace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 08:08:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14848964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakandan_wardog/pseuds/wakandan_wardog
Summary: All the Avengers in a non-powered voice-acting AU for an animated show called "Assemble" staring their Marvel counterparts. Tony/Steve have a mutual admiration/crush but it's not actually romantic and can be read as gen.Prompt FillTony Stark Bingo CardR3: animated series





	Assemble!

Tony Edwards has been a voice actor for about a decade when he decides to produce a project. Granted, he doesn’t set out to do so, things just turn out the way they do, sometimes. But Assemble is different from anything he’s seeing right now. Something of a new studio, an unknown writer, with a few big names and some new talent it could skyrocket. And the premise is good, solid; a billionaire backing a group of heroes that get thrown together to save the world. Long lost friends turning up as brainwashed enemies, monsters that choose to defy fate and throw in with the good guys thereby showing that they’re deserving of redemption, empowered female characters that are heroes in their own right and not damsels; the whole thing is glorious. 

So Tony reads the scripts when they get thrown his way, and insists he needs more of it, needs it to be a real show, and that he definitely wants to be a part of it. It all falls into place somewhere between a coffee date with Virginia Potts –another great in the game and one of his favorite co-stars- and a happenstance run in with Bruce Roberts –a talent that only works on projects close to his heart that happens to know a guy with a script- that turns into a friendly chat-slash-pitch. Then there’s a discussion of the perfect artists and wouldn’t it be great if so-and-so could do music… 

Long story short, before he really knows what’s what, Tony is sitting in an office and trying to draft up a list of potential cast members for a project he’s half in love with. He wants this show to become a reality, to do well. Not just for Bruce or Ginny, or even the writer –and Tony admits that Phil is pretty cool, though his director friend Nick could use some work- but for the show itself. Even without voices or movement on the screen, Tony is invested in these characters, in the scripts for the first season that he’s had a chance to review. 

Currently, the pilot and episode two scripts sit before him on the table, a post it note on each one listing the characters present so they know who has to be cast immediately. Under his left hand a stack of profiles and artist renderings fan out, the characters staring up at him from the paper, and under his right sits a list of voice actors that Tony’s gathered together. Bruce and Ginny had promised to bring their own lists, but there are a few things Tony thinks they’ll have in common. 

“Sorry we’re late!” Ginny chirps as she darts through the door, her auburn hair glinting under the low light. “Bruce and I got caught up talking about our brilliant cast idea for Stark, and we missed our stop!” 

“You have a casting idea for Stark?” Tony blinks, smiling when Bruce trundles in after the woman with a tray of coffee in hand. “Never mind, Ginny, I’m sorry but I don’t love you anymore. Bruce has arrived with caffeine, I’m sold.” 

“For a low price, too.” Bruce grins, sliding the tallest cup across the table. “Yes we have a casting choice for Stark.” 

“Yes! You do love me, I knew it! Coffeeeeee.” Tony croons to the cup, sipping at it happily and then blinking when there’s only silence. “The best coffee. Thanks Brucie-Bear, when do you wanna get hitched?” 

“It’s actually rather unsettling how perfect this is.” Bruce mumbles, pulling out a chair for Ginny. “Did you know?” 

“As soon as I read the script.” Ginny shrugged and sat, watching her friend fondly as he continued to talk to his cup. “Let the caffeine kick in, then he’ll be back with us.” 

Tony looks up from the cup to blink at Bruce and Ginny in bewilderment. “What?” 

“Yeah.” Ginny grins. “It’s perfect.” 

“Told you.” Bruce smiles. 

“What’s perfect?” 

“We’re casting you as Stark.” Ginny smiles. “And I’ve agreed to be Pepper, just so Phil will stop calling me.” 

“It was getting to be a little desperate.” Bruce agreed, smiling as he handed Ginny her tea and then took a seat with his own drink. “Phil likes me for Banner, Nick agreed.” 

“So Stark, Pepper, Banner, Phil is leaning on voicing Agent for the recruitment. I was thinking Maria for Agent Hill? So that’s a good portion of our Pilot and Season one crew.” Ginny enthused as she dug into her bag for her own scripts and notes. “We just need a few more.” 

“Casting ideas for Rogers?” Tony murmured, fidgeting with his post it note list. 

“Blank, I’m afraid… Though I was thinking Clint for Barton?” Bruce offered, glasses on his face as he pages through his one notes. “He’s not needed in the first few episodes but it seemed a good fit. Ginny said she worked with Natalia on Lucy? She’d be great for Tasha.” 

“No Cap suggestions from me.” Ginny frowned. “Ideas, Tony?” 

“Well, Steve Grant would be my pick.” Tony admits with a faint blush. “But that’s... He just, physically the resemblance is pretty striking.” 

Ginny smiles at him faintly, resting her chin in one hand. “Grant… He’s that artist that just accidentally wound up doing some voice work, right? Works with James, oh! James would be perfect for the Winter Soldier part!” 

“Nice.” Bruce mumbled, scribbling notes down. “So then, there’s just the issue of Iron Man.” 

“What’s the issue?” Tony tilted his head, questioning. 

“Well Phil wants to keep it a secret.” Bruce fidgeted with his glasses, gave a shrug. “Says he’ll only tell the voice actor or actress, and will record all Iron Man dialogue separately, down to the big reveal. They’ve got a mic and an alteration program, no one should be able to tell until he’s actually unmasked on screen.” 

“Sounds like a good twist.” Tony murmured, impressed and intrigued. “In the middle of a mission, when everything’s already gone sideways?” 

“Yeah.” Ginny laughed. “It’s the finale… But Phil hasn’t said whether they’ll do the reveal to the audience, or leave it on a cliff hanger.” 

“Possible second season? YES!” Tony cheered, dancing in his chair. “I am in. Let’s do this. Ready? ASSEMBLE!” 

*

Steven Grant stands in the recording booth, rolling his shoulders and trying to relax the muscles in his neck and back. There’s a certain thrill to voice acting, and so far the episodes had gone well. The cast is brilliant, many of them with experience at their back that makes Steve nearly swoon with envy. Then of course there’s one of his favorite actors of all time, Anthony Edwards. 

Tony, the producer who got cast as Stark in this show and turns up to listen to lines or watch recording even if his character isn’t around. Tony who had smiled faintly at Steve during their first meeting, his cheeks pink when he admitted that Steve was his pick for Captain America and that he was thrilled to work together. Tony, who Steve maybe has a giant crush on, not that his best friend will ever let him forget it. Thank god James wasn’t required to come in and run lines today, that meant he hadn’t seen just how much Steve had sulked when he made it into the sound booth without sight of the other actor. 

“Ready, Steve?” Bruce asks from the far side of the production booth, grinning widely at Steve’s thumbs up. “We’ve got replay, just roll in when you feel like it and we’ll compare cuts later, but we’re running to the end this time, with the reveal.” 

“Am I saying names?” Steve wondered, bouncing on his feet a bit and getting ready to fake like he’s just fought his way through a dozen or so guards to rescue the captured Iron Man. 

“If it feels right?” Bruce shrugged. 

“You can always dramatically gasp _‘you’_ , and not say a name, if you want?” Phil offered smiling. “It was draft one of the script, when I didn’t even know.” 

“Sounds like you, Phil.” Steve laughed, eyeing the dark glass window to his right. “My co-star here?” 

“Ready and waiting.” Phil grinned as he followed Steve’s line of sight to the window in question. 

The window in question was another recording booth, and Phil admitted that the Iron Man actor was inside, waiting for their queue. When the playback of Captain America ended on him finding Iron Man in the remnants of the suit, the light would be turned on so Steve could see the actor just as his character saw the animated Iron Man’s true face. Phil gestured at the window, then the screen for Steve’s playback. “You can watch the episode, or the window, or both… The first cut working great would be fine, but otherwise we’ll just have to see how long you can hold onto the shock and work on animating the rest.” 

Steve liked the theater implicit in the idea, felt nerves sparking at the authenticity of it. He jogs in place for a few minutes, giving a nod for playback and matches his movements to the Captain’s when the screen starts. The animated character does look similar to Steve, tall and blond and well built, but the blue and silver stealth costume he wears and the red-white-and-blue disk he throws are entirely unlike anything Steve handled in the military or his civilian life. 

“This is Cap.” He barks into a radio as his character skids around a corner. “I’ve cleared the west hall. Widow! Where am I going?” 

Recorded audio for Tasha plays in his ear as the character responds. “Take your next right and you should see the doors for the cellblock! You might have to break through though, I can’t open them from here.” 

“Where’s Hulk?” Captain America turns another corner picks up speed and throws himself at the door with a grunt of effort. 

“Keeping Hawkeye company in the courtyard, you’re on your own!” Tasha’s voice cuts out as the door and wall give way and Cap stumbles into a dark hall lined in cells. 

“Iron Man?” Cap demands, flipping a nearby light switch and sprinting down the row. “Iron Man!” 

The character slides to a halt outside of an occupied cell just as the light in the other recording booth goes on. Steve feels his breath leave in a too-sharp exhale, staring at a sheepishly smiling Tony on the other side of the glass. Tony, with his rucked up hair and his Black Sabbath tee, his golden skin and dark brown eyes and faintly apologetic smile. 

Oh, right. Why wouldn’t the billionaire supporting the team also be a masked superhero? Steve could smack his own forehead, but he’s still sort of gaping in shock. 

“Hey.” Tony rasps, chewing nervously at his lip. “Took you long enough, Cap.” 

“Tony.” He blinks, and then laughs. “Of course it’s you.” 

“Surprise?” Tony hedges, giving a faint shrug. 

“Yeah, maybe… then again, maybe not.” Steve shakes his head. “Widow, I’ve got Iron Man, get us an exit plan.” 

Phil gives them a thumbs up from the booth, then cuts playback and sound. “So, that’s a wrap on Assemble! Season One. Who wants to try for two?” 

Steve glances over at Tony, standing there with his hands in his pocket and a grin on his face. They’re still in separate rooms, so Steve shrugs and gives him a salute like Cap might when joking with Stark. “I’m game if you are.” 

“Don’t look at me.” Tony grins. “He’s the boss. I just pay for everything, and design everything, and make everyone look cooler.” 

“Alright then.” Steve laughs. “Phil?” 

“His name is Agent.” Tony snarks, rocking onto his toes and grinning when the writer gives him a look. “So, Phil?” 

Phil grins. “Meet me in the cafeteria, let’s talk about Season 2.” 

Score.

**Author's Note:**

> Voice Actor- Marvel Character- Assemble Character
> 
> Anthony "Tony" Edwards- Tony Stark- Character: Stark/Iron Man  
> Steven Grant- Steve Rogers- Character: Captain America  
> Bruce Roberts- Bruce Banner- Character: Hulk  
> Virginia "Ginny" Potts- Pepper Potts- Character: Pepper  
> James- Bucky Barnes- Character: Winter Soldier (Mention)  
> Phil The Writer- Phil Coulson: Agent  
> Nick The Director- Nick Fury: Director (Not Mentioned)  
> Maria- Maria Hill: Agent Hill (Mention)  
> Clint Francis- Clint Barton: Hawkeye (Mention)  
> Natalia- Natasha Romanov: Tasha/Widow (Mention)
> 
> Hopefully I captured the spirit of the thing, but I did rather enjoy this!


End file.
